Kjartan Finnbogason

Kjartan Henry Finnbogason (born 9 July 1986) is an Icelandic international footballer who plays as a striker for FH. He has represented Iceland at international level.[1]

Kjartan Finnbogason
Personal information
Full nameKjartan Henry Finnbogason
Date of birth (1986-07-09) 9 July 1986 (age 37)
Place of birthReykjavík, Iceland
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)Striker
Team information
Current team
FH
Number9
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2003–2004KR Reykjavík16(2)
2005–2008Celtic0(0)
2006Queen's Park (loan)0(0)
2007Åtvidabergs FF (loan)6(1)
2008–2010Sandefjord22(10)
2009–2010Falkirk (loan)7(1)
2010–2014KR Reykjavík115(53)
2014–2018AC Horsens119(50)
2018–2019Ferencváros14(6)
2019–2020Vejle BK42(21)
2020–2021AC Horsens7(2)
2021Esbjerg fB8(2)
2021-2022KR35(11)
2023-FH24(11)
International career
2011–Iceland13(3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 November 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 January 2020

Club career

Kjartan was born in Reykjavík, Iceland. He was signed by Celtic in December 2004.[2] Although signing for the club as a member of their youth academy, he was loaned to Queen's Park in the 2005–06 season to gain first team experience, but he suffered a broken foot and soon returned to Celtic Park. Despite scoring 28 goals in 20 reserve appearances for the Glasgow club, he failed to make a single first team appearance and left after less than two years. It was reported in the Scottish press that Kjartan was unhappy with the way he was treated.[citation needed] Sources claimed he was disenchanted with the lack of first team opportunities given to him by manager Gordon Strachan.[citation needed] Celtic were initially going to offer him a contract, but due to notable disagreements Kjartan handed in a transfer request.[citation needed]

He had several trial offers from English clubs and he made public his intention to play in the Premier League. Kjartan accepted a trial from Bristol City at the start of the 2007–08 season and went on the clubs Latvian tour against Skonto FC and FK Žalgiris Vilnius, but did not impress sufficiently and was released after the tour.[3]

He made a good impression at Falkirk after scoring in the 2–1 defeat of Livingston on 5 August 2009 as a trialist attacker in a friendly. In August 2009, Kjartan signed a six-month loan deal at Falkirk, with an option of a permanent deal. He scored on his debut, against Dundee United on 29 August 2009.[4]

He signed for Sandefjord Fotball in January 2010. Kjartan then signed for KR Reykjavik in 2010 making a two-year contract. Playing in shirt number 6 he scored 9 goals in all competitions. During the 2011 season, Kjartan played in shirt number 10. After 18 league games, KR Reykjavik was at the top of the table and Kjartan had scored 12 goals in the league. Kjartan broke a club record for KR Reykjavik scoring his seventh goal against MŠK Žilina in nine UEFA Cup appearances in 2011, making him the highest goal scorer in the clubs UEFA Cup history.

Ferencváros

He scored a hat-trick in the second round proper of the 2018–19 Magyar Kupa season against Sárvári FC.[5][6]

He was the top scorer of the 2018-19 Magyar Kupa season.

Vejle

On 20 January 2019, Kjartan signed for Vejle Boldklub.[7]

Return to Horsens

After terminating his deal with Vejle, Finnbogason returned to AC Horsens on 6 October 2020, signing a deal until June 2021.[8] His contract was terminated by mutual consent in January 2021 for personal reasons, with Kjartan expressing an interest in returning to Iceland.[9]

Esbjerg

On 1 February 2021, Kjartan signed a 2000 -month contract with second-tier Danish 1st Division club Esbjerg fB.[10] Efter two goals in seven league games, Finnbogason's deal was terminated by mutual agreement on 11 May 2021, one day after the club's head coach, Ólafur Kristjánsson, was fired.[11]

International career

Kjartan scored his first ever international goal against China in the 2017 China Cup.

International goals

Scores and results list Iceland's goal tally first.[12]
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.10 January 2017Guangxi Sports Center, Nanning, China  China1–02–02017 China Cup
2.8 November 2017Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar  Czech Republic1–11–2Friendly
3.19 January 2020Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, United States  El Salvador1–01–0

References